Analysis and comment from Memphis, Tennessee, on media, politics, culture, science, my life and anything else that catches my eye.

Monday, March 10, 2003

Impotent Dissatisfaction

James "Woody" Brosnan, the Commercial Appeal's Washington bureau reporter has an editorial today. Someone titled it "What's the cost of being world's No. 1?" but it seems more impotent dissatisfaction with present circumstances, in regards to President Bush and Iraq, in search of a story hook.

He tries to make some equivalency between Clinton and Bush in regards to foreign intervention. He then goes on to dredge up the Project for the New American Century story. This claims, somewhat falsely and in Brosnan's case misleadingly, that a secret plan was hatched by in the early Nineties for America to take over the world. You can read the real report for yourself here. It was written in 2000, in light of America's pre-eminence and sole world-superpower status, as a guide to navigating those waters in our nation's best interests, something that Brosnan tries to make sound sinister.

Brosnan talks to a former Clinton national security advisor who essentially agrees that military action is necessary. Even Brosnan admits it. But he seems to think that we're being prideful, and that's the real danger.

Then he closes with a warning about the budget. Like I said, an impotent mess looking for an organizing principle.